The EHRS conference will convey hundreds of new studies and trial results for hair loss sufferersSeptember 15, 2000

All this week, the European Hair Research Society is holding a major annual conference in Marburg, Germany on hair loss. A meeting of the greatest scientists and clinicians in the hair loss research community, this conference will be a time for them to gather and discuss an extremely wide variety of current issues. The following is a summary of what is to be covered at this landmark event...Please review the following items closely, as there may be topics of interest to you. Information for complete reviews of each topic is available in a link below the list here:

Satellite Meeting - September 15, 2000

• S. Andersson "Overview of steroidogenic isoenzymes" Discussion on the roles of the two types of hormones which contribute to hair loss
• R. Hoffmann "Enzymology of the hair follicle" Review of enzyme activity in the follicle, and announcing study results which show highest levels of 5Alpha type 2 Enzyme can be found in the dermal papilla of the follicle.
• A.O. Brinkmann "Lessons to be learned from the androgen receptor" Discussing the influence of the androgen receptor in the male development process, specifically with hair loss and prostate health.
• M. Sawaya  "Androgen responsive genes as they affect hair growth" Discussion of a study showing how DHT suppression may directly inhibit the genetic response to trigger cell death in the follicle, thus stopping hair loss.
• A. Messenger  "Susceptibility genes of balding men versus women" A study whose findings imply that there is one main gene responsible for hair loss in both men and women.
• V. Randall "Soluble factors involved in androgen-mediated effects on the hair follicle" Discussion on issues which should lead to greater understanding of androgen action and better treatment for androgen-potentiated disorders like hair loss.
• J. P. Sundberg "Androgenetic alopecia: in vivo models" Discussion of the various effective test models for scientific studies on hair loss (animals, birds, human tissue, etc.).
• D. van Neste "Hair growth and hair loss: A technical challenge for the clinician" The contribution of photographic and hair plucking / scalp biopsy studies in the field of clinical research will be highlighted.
• D. Whiting "Treatment of androgenetic alopecia: The finasteride experience" An overview of the results found in the Merck 2 year Propecia trials, a study on 200 men taking 5mg Finasteride (Proscar) and the significant hair growth found as a result, as well as a study on 136 post-menopausal women taking Finasteride (Propecia) which showed no effect on hair loss.

Events - Saturday September 16, 2000

• J.P. Sundberg "Morphology of hair in inbred mouse mutants" Electron micrographs will be used to illustrate the various mutant phenotypes in laboratory mice with comparison with homologous human case material.
• R. Paus "Histology of the murine hair cycle" Computer-generated schematic representations of each hair cycle stage are provided with the aim of standardising further reports on follicular gene and protein expression patterns.
• C.-M. Chuong "Events during skin appendage development" Discussion on how molecular and cellular events work during skin appendage development.  Can help us in disease and tissue engineering involving skin and its skin appendages.
• R. Paus, Hamburg "Mechanisms of action of minoxidil as a hair growth stimulator: Open questions, hypothetical concepts" Further look into the mechanisms of action in Minoxidil, attempts to answer some of the unanswered questions regarding this issue.
• G.C. Davies "A comparison of two rodent models for the assessment of potassium channel openers on hair growth in vivo" Minoxidil and one other potassium channel opener used on a Rat as test subject showed the rat as a potentially acceptable new test subject.
• F. Ahmed "Patterns of creb and phospo-creb expression during murine hair follicle development and cycling" Restricted expression of CREB to the DP of telogen follicles and P-CREB to the bulge of late anagen follicles suggests possible roles for this family of transcription factors in control of the hair growth cycle.
• M.J. Peters "Neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and neurotrophins as regulators of murine hair follicle morphogenesis and cycling" Study suggests that the hair follicle and its innervation act both as source and as a target for neurotransmitters, and identifies new targets for therapeutic hair growth treatments.
• J. Tobin "Cathepsin l is important for catagen progression, entry into anagen and the formation of the inner root sheath and telogen club hair" Study suggests that Cathepsin L (involved in follicle homeostasis) plays previously unrecognized roles during normal hair follicle development and cycling.
• M. Akram "Circadian clock genes are expressed in human hair follicles" Study shows that there is indeed a circadium rhythm, somewhat of a biological cycle of hair growth and rest that is being regulated on a genetic level and can possibly be modified.
• F. Camacho "A practical approach to hirsutism" A general review of the various approaches of dealing with hirsutism, a female hair-related medical condition.
• H. Rushton "Management of diffuse hair loss in women" Discussion on the psychological effects of hair loss in women, the interaction with physicians who belittle the situation for the patient, and an analysis of diffuse loss in the female scalp.
• R. Sinclair "The child with funny hair" Review of the various hair conditions in younger patients and how what we learn from them can related to treating hair loss in general.
• D. Whiting "Minoxidil, the story of an adverse effect that became a new indication" Reviewing the history of Minoxidil which showed hair growth as a result of being taken orally as blood pressure medication.
• H. Wolff "Topical minoxidil solution 5% in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in males" An overview of the several various studies done on Minoxidil over the past 10 years since its first release and approval by the FDA for hair loss.
• R.J. Trancik "Clinical update on use of topical minoxidil solution" New clinical information will be presented for the use of Minoxidil in women with hair loss.
• S. Niiyama "Steroid sulfatase is primarily expressed within the dermal papilla of human hair follicles: a new pharmaceutical target for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia?" Study shows that DHEA'S can be utilized by the follicle to produce DHT which implies that DHEAS contribute to hair loss, and that steroid sulfatase inhibitors could be novel drugs to treat androgen dependent disorders such as hair loss or hirsutism.
• V.H. Price "Histology and hormonal activity in senescent thinning in males" Study shows that natural hair thinning after age 60 (senescent) is similar to Androgenic Alopecia but biochemically different and may not be a result of androgens.
• V. Vaisse "Postmenopausal frontal fibrosing alopecia: 20 cases" Study suggests the hypothesis that antigenic targets could be revealed in-patients with genetic predisposition during some attacks of the hair follicle as dermatoheliosis and, or hair loss.  
• S. Kauser "Expression of pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides in hair follicle melanocytes is inversely correlated with pigmentation level" Study shows that pro-opiomelanocortin peptides could be down regulated in terminally differentiated hair follicle melanocytes and a-MSH and ACTH could be directly involved in differentiation and/or survival of these cells.
• R. Grimalt "Red scalp syndrome" Study done on 18 patients found 13 of them with hair loss showed a curious reddish coloring to their scalp.  Study results were not conclusive as to the reason.
• R. Cerundolo "Histopathology features of a canine syndrome characterised by alopecia and abnormality of steroidogenesis" Animals may offer a model to further study mammalian steroidogenesis and its relationship with hair follicle development. Similarities with congenital adrenal hyperplasia in man are likely.
• R..M. Porter "Defolliculated: A hair cycle mouse mutant which loses its pelage follicles completely" A spontaneous mouse mutant which develops hair normally but then loses it is discussed.
• M. Ziller "Introductory lecture: The role of T and dendritic cells in autoimmunity" The complexity of the disturbed interplay between T cell activation, regulatory cytokines, costimulatory molecules and induction of apoptosis will be demonstrated in a model of chronic inflammatory bowel disease, which can be prevented by the blockade or absence of CD44v7, one of the costimulatory molecules on antigen presenting cells. 
• R. Tazi Ahnini "Interleukin-1 gene cluster polymorphisms in alopecia areata: strong association of IL-1RN and IL-1L1 genotypes with severe disease an early age at onset" Study results suggest that these polymorphisms within IL1L1 & IL1RN themselves or a gene in linkage disequilibrium with IL1L1 & IL1RN predispose to the severe form of alopecia areata.

Needless to say, this conference is huge, and will have an incredible amount of new news that will interest all of us.  The complete review of the EHRS Conference along with more in depth descriptions of each of the above topics as well as a whole batch of other topics covered on the third day of the conference can be seen at the EHRS web site:  http://www.ehrs.org/conference/2000marburg/index.htm

HLT